How to Improve Child's Processing Skills in Math

Hands-on manipulatives can turn abstract concepts into concrete ones.

Every child processes information differently. There are three types of learners: auditory, visual and kinesthetic. Knowing the type of learner your child is is the first step in understanding how your child processes information. Once you figure that out, there are several ways to help your child better process math skills. Using graph paper can keep your child's math problems neat and organized to prevent confusion. Maintaining a math journal and using manipulatives like blocks or cubes can enable those with processing difficulties to understand the material presented to them. Pairing math concepts to familiar situations is another useful tool in processing mathematical information. The most important thing is that the child practices what he or she has learned.

Things You'll Need

• Learning style test
• Notebook
• Graph paper
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Base 10 blocks
• Shapes

Instructions

Tackling a Math Problem

1. Give your child a learning-style test to determine which type of learner your child is. If your child is a visual learner, he or she will need to see the math concepts; an auditory learner will need to hear how to work a problem out; and a kinesthetic learner needs to have manipulatives to solve problems. Learning-style tests can be found on numerous educational site, including Scholastic.com.

2. Have the child write math problems on graph paper. Often when a child has problems processing information, it is because he or she cannot understand his own handwriting. Graph paper helps the child line up numbers and columns. It is also important to provide the child with a sharpened pencil and an eraser, and to teach the child to erase completely before rewriting the problem.

3. Give the child a notebook to keep as a math journal. When the child struggles with a particular concept, have or him write it down in his journal. This way if the child gets confused, he or she can look back to see how to work the problem. Difficulties in processing information often stem from being anxious about the task given.

4. Use manipulatives that best suit the child's learning style based on the test you gave him or her. For an auditory learner, talk the child through the problem step by step. Have him or her repeat the process to you and check for clarity and understanding. For visual and kinesthetic learners, hands-on manipulatives can be used, such as shapes, blocks and cubes.

5. Compare the math problem to something the child can relate to in life. For example, if you are working on a subtraction problem you might say, "You have $50 dollars to spend at the mall and want to buy a a pair of shorts. The shorts are $36. How much money do you have left?"

6. Practice similar problems until the child grasps the concept.

References

• Scholastic; 7 Musts for Using Manipulatives; Marilyn Burns
• PBS Parents; Struggling to Learn: Creating Good Practices
• "Parents"; Test Your Knowledge: Find Your Child's Learning Style; Abby Margolis Newman

Resources

• "A Practical Approach to Using Learning Styles in Math Instruction"; Rebecca Davis Thomasson; 1996